Donor Shies From Honor

By COLlive reporter
Photos by Baruch Schwartz

300 men and women attended the 37th annual Melave Malka of the Chaya Mushka Gemilus Chesed Free Loan Society in Northeast Philadelphia.

Held at the Lubavitcher Center on Castor Avenue, participants arrived from the five-county Philadelphia area to salute the fund for its small interest-free loans.

“This past year alone we loaned $300,000,” reported Shliach Rabbi Zalman Lipsker, director of the Gmach, founded in 1970 and renamed in 1988 in memory of the Rebbe’s wife, Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson OBM.

“We were happy to be of service in this bad economy, but saddened that so many people needed it,” added Lipsker who also directs Va’adah L’dovrei Ivrit Chabad for Hebrew speakers.

The emcee was Larry Caroline of Elkins Park, the meal was prepared by Sholom’s caterers and a violist played some Chassidic classics as customary on Motzoei Shabbos.

Rabbi Avraham Shemtov, a founding member of the Gmach and Head Shliach to Philadelphia, read a letter of the Rebbe expressing the importance of charity and kindness.

The city’s Chief Rabbi Dov Brisman offered his greetings and support before calling up the main speaker Rabbi Shraga Sherman, Director of Chabad of the Main Line, a suburb of Philadelphia.

The evening’s honoree was Mr. Jack Azran, a real estate builder, whom Rabbi Lipsker met during his daily Mivtzoim visits in Center City, Philadelphia.

“Rabbi, I can just say thank you,” the humble donor said upon receiving a painting.

Rabbi Lipsker noted: “During hard times people say it’s hard to give, but this is exactly the time to give because the need is greater.”

“And Hashem gives back double,” he added.